Locking device for automobile hoods



Nov. 15, 1938. H, J, NYHUS' 2,136,948

LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS Filed April 15, 1937 Invenior Aiiorne zzs Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS N. Dak.

Application April 15, 1937, Serial No. 137,016

4 Claims.

My invention relates to locking devices and particularly to locking devices for the hoods of automobiles.

In the modern automobile, many relatively easily detachable devices and engine accessories are housed by the hood of the vehicle and, in the absence of means for preventing unauthorized opening of the hood, are particularly susceptible to theft during times when the vehicle is parked in unprotected locations.

An object of my invention is to provide look ing apparatus for normally preventing the releasing of an automobile hood latch through manipulation of the usual exteriorly accessible l5 latch-operating handle and yet releasable by operation of a control element when it is desired that the latch be releasable responsive to manipulation of the exteriorly accessible handle.

Another object is to provide such apparatus so arranged as to enable complete housing of the same within the hood and body of an automobile so that said apparatus is not accessible for unauthorized operation thereof when the doors of the automobile are locked and whereby a keycontrolled lock need not be included in the apparatus.

A further object is to provide such apparatus of light, simple, compact, reliable and inexpensive construction and permissive of easy and convenient operation thereof.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the views, and, in which:--

Fig. 1 is a partial side view of an automobile with an embodiment of my invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a partially broken away top view; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the hood of the automobile shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to'the drawing, I have shown an embodiment of my invention in operative relation with an automobile A having a hood H of the type wherein the main portion 4 is stationary and an upper portion 5 constitutes a lid hinged to stationary portions of the hood at B so as to be upwardly and rearwardly swingable for opening the hood H in an automobile having a hood of the type shown. The lid 5 is normally held in its downwardmost or closed position by means of a suitable latch operated by a handle I which has ornament. i

The lower part of the forward portion of the lid 5 is provided with a rearwardly projecting flange 5a extending into the interior space of the 5 hood H. The upper part of the forward portion of the main hood member 4 is provided with a rearwardly projecting flange 4a projecting into the interior space of the hood I-I parallel to and closely adjacent the flange 5a. when the lid 5 is ll) in closed position. The usual form of latching means for the hood 5 is mounted in part on the flange 4a and in part on the flange 5a. An upstanding stud 8 is mounted on the flange 4a and projects upwardly through a suitable aperture in the flange 5a to a point somewhat above the flange 5a. The rear side of the stud 8 is provided with a groove 3a formed therein. The op erating handle I is mounted on the upper end of a shaft 9 which is journaled in aligned apertures .20 respectively located in a plate Ill secured to the upper side of the lid 5 and in the flange 5a of the lid 5. A suitable retaining element I I is secured to the lower end of the shaft 9 to restrain the same from upward displacement. The shaft 9125 carries a disc 12 secured thereon at the level of the groove 8a in the stud 8 and the diameter of the disc 12 is such that the marginal portion of the disc is received at one point thereon in the groove 8a. This construction is such that enr30 'gagement of the disc l2 in the groove 8a will prevent raising of the lid 5.

To make the above described latch means releasable to permit raising of the lid 5, the marginal portion of the disc I2 is cut away at one 35 point to form a notch [2a. When the operating handle 1 is turned to a suitable position, the notch I201. will be aligned with the stud 8 so that no portion of the disc l2 will then be disposed within the groove 8a of the stud 8. Obviously, 4'0 latching co-operation will not exist at such time between the disc [2 and stud 8 and accordingly the lid 5 of the hood H will be free for raising of the lid 5. To assist in holding the handle 'l" and disc l2 in normal latching position a resilient 45 element I3 is provided, one end of which is adapted to engage the end of a second notch l2b formed in the peripheral portion of the disc 12. The shape of the notch I211 is such that portions of the disc [2 defining the same will cam the ele- 0 ment l3 out of the notch |2b when the handle I is turned out of its normal position.

The above described construction is of conventional form and does not constitute any portion of my invention.

The disclosed apparatus comprising an embodiment of my invention is for the purpose of rendering the above described latch means unoperatable by means of the handle I, except at such times as it is desired to permit access to the interior of the hood H and my apparatus is so arranged that it may be placed in condition to permit the usual operation of the latching means through turning of the handle I.

The disc I2 is provided with a notch I4 additional to the notches therein previously described. The notch I4 is so shaped as to provide a shoulder I4a adapted for engagement thereof by suitable restraining means. The restraining means which I provide may consist of a resilient finger I5 anchored at one end thereof to a portion of the hood H which may be the rear edge portion of the flange 4a. The anchored end of the finger I5 may be secured to the flange 4a by any suitable means such as the rivets I6. The free end portion of the finger I5 is increased in width upwardly so as to provide an element I50. disposed at the same level as the latch disc I2. The outer end of the finger I5 is bent rearwardly to form an abutment element I5b adapted for engagement with the shoulder Ida. of the disc I2. The finger I5 is so tensioned as to bear at its outer end radially inwardly of the disc I2 so that positioning of the disc I2 in its normal or latching position will result in the free end portions I5a and I5bof the finger I5 springing into the notch II of the disc I2 so that the abutment element I5b of the finger I5 may abut the shoulder Ida to prevent rotation of the disc I2 toward its nonlatching position.

I provide means located within the interior of the automobile A and preferably conveniently accessible to the driver of the vehicle for withdrawing the finger I5 from engagement with the shoulder I 4a. when it is desired to permit unlatching of the lid 5 for raising of the same. To this end, I provide a tubular member I6, preferably mounted in the instrument panel I! of the automobile and containing a plunger I8 carrying a handle or button Ilia on the rearward end thereof. The tubular element I6 within which the plunger I8 is longitudinally slidable has a longitudinal slot IBa. therein and a short circumferentially extending slot IGb located at the inner end of and connected with the longitudinal slot I611. The plunger I8 is provided with a pin I8b extending diametrically therethrough and having an outwardly projecting portion working in the slots Mia and I61). An elongated element I9, preferably of a flexible nature and which may consist of a cable or wire, is attached to the forward end of the plunger I8. The forward or remaining end of the flexible element I9 is connected to the finger I5 by means of securing the same in a suitable aperture formed in the rearwardly bent portion I511 of the finger I 5. Obviously, pulling the control handle I8a rearwardly will communicate such motion to the finger I 5 through the flexible element I9 and will act to pull the abutment element I5b of the finger I5 out of engagement with the shoulder Ida of the disc I2, where-after the disc I2 is free to be operated by the control handle I for placement in non-latching position.- To hold the finger I5 out of engaging relation with the disc I2, the plunger I8 may be pulled rearwardly to its limit of movement and rotated through a slight angle to position the pin I8b in the short circumferential slot I6b, whereby the plunger I8b will be retained in its rearwardly displaced position.

The driver of an automobile equipped with my above described hood-locking apparatus would normally leave the device in looking position, that is with the abutment element I5b of the finger I5 disposed in the notch I4 of the disc I2 and engaging the shoulder Ila. When the car is left unattended, most drivers lock the doors of the vehicle, thus rendering the control handle I8a inaccessible to any person contemplating unauthorized access to the interior of the hood H. All of the remaining parts of my device are contained within the interior of the hood H and are, of course, inaccessible when the hood H is locked by means of my device. When the user of an automobile desires that the operating handle I be free for operation to unlatch the lid 5, he may, of course, accomplish this purpose as previously explained.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, simple, compact and reliable device for locking the hood of an automobile and rendering the usual exteriorly accessible hood latch operating means inoperative and operative as desired,

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, ar-

rangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:--

1. In combination with an automobile having a hood including a lid portion horizontally hinged at its rear end to a main hood portion so as to be upwardly and rearwardly swingable relative thereto and provided with a latch at the forward end of said lid portion including an element rotatable in response to manipulation of means situated on the exterior of said lid portion for setting and releasing said latch, a shoulder formed on said element facing circumferentially thereof in the direction of latch-releasing movement thereof, a stop element shiftable into and out of engagement with said shoulder when said latch is engaged, means yieldably urging said stop element toward its shoulder-engaging position, an operating element situated within said automobile and accessible to a driver thereof, and connection means between said operating element and said stop element whereby said operating element may be manipulated to effect withdrawal of said stop element from engagement with said shoulder.

2. In combination with an automobile having a hood including an upwardly and rearwardly swingable lid carrying a latch element rotatable into and out of engagement with an element fixedly mounted on a main portion of said hood responsive to manipulation of means situated exteriorly of said lid, means for normally preventing rotation of said rotatable element out of engagement with said fixed element comprising, a shoulder formed on said rotatable element facing circumferentially thereof in the direction of latchreleasing movement thereof, a stop element shiftable generally radially of said rotatable element into and out of engagement with said shoulder when said rotatable element is engaged with said fixed element, means yieldably urging said stop element toward its position of engagement with said shoulder, and operating meansaccessible to a driver of said automobile connected to said stop element so that said stop element may be withdrawn from engagement with said shoulder by suitably manipulating said operating means.

3. In combination with an automobile having a hood including a lid portion horizontally hinged at its rear end to a main hood portion so as to be upwardly and rearwardly swingable relative thereto and provided with a latch at the forward end of said lid portion including a disc rotatable in response to manipulation of means situated externally of said hood for setting and releasing said latch, a shoulder formed on the peripheral portion of said disc facing circumferentially thereof in the direction in which said disc is rotated in releasing said latch, a resilient stop element disposed generally tangentially of said disc in position for engagement of one end of said stop element with said shoulder when said disc is in latching position to restrain said disc from rotation out of latching position, the remaining end of said stop element being rigidly mounted on said lid portion and said stop element being tensioned to normally remain in engagement with said shoulder, a shiftable control element within said automobile and accessible to a driver thereof, and actuating connections between said control element and said stop element whereby said control element may be manipulated to cause flexing of said stop element out of engagement with said shoulder.

4. In combination with an automobile having a hood including a lid portion horizontally hinged at its rear end to a main hood portion so as to be upwardly and rearwardly swingable relative thereto and provided with a latch at the forward end of said lid portion including an element rotatable in response to manipulation of means situated on the exterior of said lid portion for setting and releasing said latch, a shoulder formed on said element by providing a suitably shaped notch therein whereby a portion of said element partially defining said notch constitutes said shoulder, said shoulder facing circumferentially of said element in the direction of latch-releasing movement thereof, a stop element shiftable into and out of engagement with said shoulder when said latch is engaged, means yieldably urging said stop element toward its shoulder-engaging position, an operating element situated within said automobile and accessible to a driver thereof, and connection means between said operating element and said stop element whereby said operating element may be manipulated toeffect withdrawal of said stop element from engagement with said shoulder.

I-IILBERT J. NYHUS. 

